Maternity dress



July 3- c. B. bEICHERT 2,324,371

MATERNITY DRESS Filed Dec. 13, 1940 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 L L 62150 BYINVENTOR. 5. flf/CHERT y 1943. c. a. DEICHERT 71 MATERNITY DRESS FiledDec. 13, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I /7 INVENTOR,

C250 5. OE/CA [RT Patented July 1 3, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICEApplication December 3.1940, Serial No. 389,934

3 Claims.

My invention relates to dresses for general use, although it hasparticular reference to dresses for maternity use, in that it can bereadily and conveniently expanded or enlarged to compensate for thedevelopment of the wearer.

While it is recognized that maternity dresses heretofore have beendesigned with plaits and panels permitting circumferential enlargementof the bodice and skirt, and adjusting means at the waist for holdingthe plaits in the required positions of adjustment, they have all failedin one manner or another to attain the requisite circumferentialenlargement of the dress without elevating or lowering the skirt at onepoint or another so that it hangs unevenly andthereby accentuates theabnormal condition of the wearer. Also, with maternity dresses asheretofore proposed, they are undesirable for the rea son that anenlargement thereof cannot be secured without an excessive bodiceenlargement at the bust covering area thereof in comparison to the skirtenlargement necessary to compensate for the increase in size of theabdomen of the wearer.

In consequence, the bodice is rendered ill-fitting and what slenderizingeffect the dress may have had, is destroyed.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a maternity dress which ischaracterized by having a plurality of panels preferably in the front ofthe dress, and intervening plaits all of which ex tend the entire lengthof the dress and decrease in width from the bottom of the skirt to thetop of the bodice, with suitable adjusting means for the plaits, wherebyexpanding adjustments of the dress may be effected and maintainedwithout elevating or lowering the skirt at any point circumferentiallythereof, while maintaining the panel form of the dress front so as topreserve the slenderizing effect produced by such panels.

A further purpose of my invention is the provision of a maternity dresswhich, while securing the advantages above set forth, achieves theadditional advantage by reason of the particular taper of the plaitsfrom end to end of the dress, of securing an enlarging adjustment of thebodice and dress in such ratio as to compensate for variation indevelopment of the bust and abdomen of the wearer.

Another purpose of my invention is the provision of a maternity dresshaving a plurality of panels, and wherein the adjusting means for theintervening plaits is in the form of separable fasteners, parts of whichare secured to the dress adjacent the edges of the panels, to coact withthe other parts of the fasteners in maintaining the dress in multiplepanel form in any adjustment of the plaits, thus at all timespreservingthe slenderizing eflect produced by the multiple panels. a

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a maternity dress.having multiple panels and plaits as above described wherein theadjusting means for the plaits comprises a belt permanently secured tobut movable inthe dress to adjust the plaits and adapted to be tied tomaintain such adjustment.

I will describe only two forms of maternity dresses each embodying myinvention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing in front elevation one form of maternity dressembodying my invention and wherein the dress is in its smallest positionof circumferential adjustment. v

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the same dress in the largestposition of circumferential adjustment.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 ofFig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the second form of maternitydress embodying my invention and in its smallest position ofcircumferentialadjustment.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and showing the dress of Fig. 5 inits largest position of circumferential adjustment.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line i| ofFig. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 88 ofFig. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of theseveral views.

My invention in the embodiment shown in Figs.

,1 to 4, comprises a skirt S extending downwardly from a bodice or waistB, with the two made preferably in one piece. At the front of the dressthe material is folded and stitched along its length to form a pluralityof panels with intervening plaits, both of which extend from the bottomof the skirt to the top-of the bodice.

In the present form of dress there is a center panel P and two sidepanels Pf, P. In the present'instance, all panels are co-extended inlength or top or the bodice.

with the front of the dress and gradually decrease in width from thebottom of the skirt to the neck As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the centerpanel P is disposed equidistantly on opposite sides of a median uprightline or the dress front, with the panels P, P at opposite sides of thepanel P. Thus, the several panels taper in form from the bottom of theskirt; 8 to the top of the bodice B.

By lines L, L of stitching, the panel P is from end to end madepermanent as to width, while lines L, L' of stitching coact with theline stitching L, L to form the panels P, P.

The dress of Figs. 1 to 4 is also provided with plaits T and T which arecoextensive in length with the panels P and P, there being two plaits Tfor the center panel P and on plait T' for each of the side panels P.These plaits T and T' are indicated in dash lines in Figs. 1 and 2 todistinguish them from the lines L and L' of stitching shown in dottedlines in the same figures.

By referring to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that the plaits T and T'are arranged between confronting sides of the panels P and P' and theadjacent parts of the dress.

The plaits T and T are provided primarily for the purpose of permittingenlargement of the dress throughout it entire length, but in such manneras to properly compensate for the diflerences in development of theabdomen and bust of the wearer. In other words, the plaits may beadjusted as to width of fold to cause the greater expansion orenlargement at the abdomen-covering portion thereof than at thebust-covering portion thereof. Such mode of adjustment of the dress isnecessary to cause it to accommodate and properly fit the body of thewearer at all stages of the development of the wearer, and it will beunderstood that proportional increase in size of bust is less than thatof the abdomen.

I accomplish this adjustment of the dress by making the plaits T and Ttapered or graduated in width from end to end, they decreasing in widthfrom the bottom edge of the skirt S to the neck of the bodice B, asshown by the dash lines in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus, the plaits may be saidto increase in width from the waist portion of the dress downwardly tothe bottom edge of the skirt, and to decrease in width from the waistportion upwardly to the neck of the bodice.

By widening the plaits T and T as they proceed to the bottom of theskirt, reduction adjustments of the dress can be accomplished withoutelevating or lowering any part of the skirt, and thus the bottom edge ofthe skirt remains at the same level throughout while the wearer isstanding or sitting. Reduction in width of the plaits from the waistlineupwardly to the neckline permits maximum enlargement of the bodies atthe bust area without producing any excessive fullness at the neckline.In this manner, a substantially uniform graduated taper of the panels Pand P is maintained from bottom to top of the dress, thereby preservingthat slenderizing eil'ect produced by the several panels.

The plaits T and T may be secured in two positions of adjustment as towidth of fold, and the size of the dress varied accordingly. The presentmeans for so securing the plaits are separable fasteners F secured to aband i5 of tape in the manner illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. This band i5is secured to the inner side of the dress at the waistline thereof, withthe separable fasteners projecting to the outer side of the dress. Inthe present instance, the fasteners employed are of the head and sockettype, with th heads and sockets spaced along the band a illustrated. Itwill be noted that'the socket elements or the tasteners are secured tothe panels P and P' adjacent to the lines or stitching L and L so thatat either position of adjustment the dress will be held by the fastenersalong the edges oi the pan els to maintain the tapered form of thelatter. Thus, in no adjustment or the plaits i the to.- pered form orthe panels lost, and in consequence, is maintained the slenderizingeffect of the graduated multiple panels.

Referring now to Figs. 5-to 8, I have here shown another form ofmaternity dress embodying my invention, which, insofar as panels andplaits are concerned, is identical to the dress shown in the precedingfigures. The plaits and panels bear the same reference characters, andmanifestly provide identical advantages as to adjustability of the dressto compensate for maternal development 01' the wearer in the same manneras described in connection with the first form of dress. The onlydifference in the two forms of dress is the means for maintaining orholding the dress plaits in adjusted positions 0! fold.

In this second form of adjusting means I employ a belt A which, at itsmedial portion, is secured to the inner side of the dress at thewaistline thereof by two longitudinal lines L of stitching. Fromopposite edges of the panel P the belt extends to the outer side of thedress through slits I6, [6, and at points beyond the latter the beltextends to the inner side of the dress through slits l1, l1, and thenagain to the outer side through slits I8, It, in the outer edges of thepanels P adjacent the lines L of stitching.

The belt A, although permanentlyv connected to the panel P is free toslide through the slits l1 and I8, thereby permitting the panels-P' tobe moved longitudinally on the belt. In consequence, the plaits T and T'may be adjusted as to width of fold to enlarge the dresscircumferentially in the attainment of the required size to compensatefor development of the wearer. To maintain this enlarged adjustment, theends of the belt may be knotted at the back of the garment asillustrated in Fig. 7.

Although the belt A provides the means by which the plaits of the dressare maintained in various widths of fold, it is by virtue of thelocation of the slits l6, l1 and I8 in respect to the stitched paneledges that the panel form of the dress is maintained in all positions ofadjustment to in turn preserve the slenderizing eflect produced in thedress by reason of such panels.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of maternitydresses embodying my invention, it is to be understood that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from thespirit of my invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A maternity dress, comprising a bodice, a skirt connected to thebodice, a center panel at the front of the dress, side panels at thefront of dress on opposite sides of said center panel, all of saidpanels narrowing from the bottom of the skirt upwardly, plaits arrangedbetween opposite sides of said front panel and the adjacent parts of thedress, and other plaits arranged between opposite sides of said sidepanels and the adjacent parts of the dress, all of said plaitsdecreasing in width upwardly from the bottom of the skirt, and means atthe waist part of the dress for holding said plaits in various positionsof adjustment, said means comprising slits in the dress certain of whichare adjacent the outer edges of said side panels, and a belt having itsmedial portion extending transversely of the inner side of said centerpanel and secured thereto at its edges, and slidable through said slits.

2. A maternity dress comprising a bodice, a skirt connected to thebodice, a center panel at the front of the bodice and skirt coextensivein length therewith, side panels at the front of the bodice and skirt atopposite sides of said center panel, plaits arranged between oppositesides of said front panel and the adjacent parts of the dress, and otherplaits arranged between opposite sides of said side panels, and theadjatom, and all of said panels and plaits decreasing in width from thebottom of the bodice to the neck thereof, whereby enlarging adjustmentsof the bust area of the bodice can be made in 'a reduced ratio toenlarging adjustments of the skirt, and means for securing said plaitsin various positions of adjustment while maintaining the panels in thedress.

3. A maternity dress, comprising a bodice, a skirt connected to thebodice, a center panel at the front of the dress, side panels at thefront of dress on opposite sides of said center panel, all of saidpanels decreasing in width from the bottom of the skirt upwardly to theneck of the bodice, plaits arranged between opposite sides of said frontpanel and the adjacent parts of the dress, and other plaits arrangedbetween opposite sides of said side panels and the adjacent parts of thedress, all of said plaits decreasing in width upwardly from the bottomof the skirt to the neck of the bodice, and means at the waist part ofthe dress for holding said plaits in various positions of adjustment.

CLEO B. DEICHERT.

